Canine Nation - Articles About Dog Training
Eric Brad inspires readers to change the way we relate to our dogs through modern training methods based on behavioural science and rewards, not punishment.
Helping Your Dog Get It Right
Our dogs will sometimes get it wrong when we are training with them. How we deal with those mistakes determines not only how fast they learn the behaviour but also their attitude about working with us. Should we focus on getting the results we want or helping our dog get it right?
Make Training Rewarding for You and Your Dog
Dog trainers have learned that rewarding the behaviours you want can be a wonderfully effective way to train. Understanding the mechanics of how that reward system affects your dog’s learning can be a big help!
Dogs In The Crossfire
Training a dog is not as simple as it used to be. The current debates raging in the dog world show that quite clearly. Is it more important to be right than to help the dogs? Some trainers seem to think so.
Silly Dogs, Happy Dogs
One of the great joys of dogs is their silly nature. Shouldn’t we encourage that side of our dogs rather than saying “No!” when they get a little goofy? There’s nothing quite as much fun as being silly with our dogs. And we can do it safely.
What To Do If You Think Your Dog Is “Dominant”
Do you think you have a dominant dog? You might want to think again. In fact, you might want to take a step back and make sure of what you mean when you say “dominant.” You might be surprised.
Is It Me or Is It The Dog?
Most dog owners are proud of their dogs when they are behaving themselves. But it never seems to amaze me how often dog owners blame their dogs for their own fails as trainers. Is it the owner or is it the dog? I’m pretty sure I know who is at fault.
A Broken Dog – Epilogue (Redemption and Validation)
Choosing a different approach to dog training can be difficult and a little scary. Especially if you have never done it that way before. When things seem to break down 7 years into your training it can be soul shaking. That’s when it’s all on the line and you have to trust that you made the right choices.
A Comfortable Dog
Most of us have had that feeling of relief at encountering something familiar when we are in a new situation. We shouldn’t be surprised that our dogs can feel that same sense of relief if we present them with something familiar when they are uncomfortable. Do you know what your dog has good feelings about? Do you know what comforts them? You can use that to help them learn and cope with difficult situations!
Do Scientists Love Their Dogs Too?
Between all of the criteria and learning theory and Operant Conditioning and Clickers and reinforcement rates, do science-based trainers have enough time to actually love their dogs too? The answer is probably more and less complicated that you might think. Science can be far from cold. It has sparked great passions in humans for hundreds of years.
What Is Your Dog Saying About You?
There are people watchers and there are dog watchers. I am decidedly a dog watcher. It doesn't matter where I am or what I'm doing, if a dog should wander into my field of vision, I will always take a few moments to admire what we frequently call … Read more →
